Rotary tiller for gang plows



Jan. 1, 1939.

1,697,677 J. B. DAVIDSON ROTARY TILLER FOR GANG FLOWS Filed Feb. 20, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. I, 1929.

J. B. DAVIDSON ROTARY TILLER FOR GANG PLOWS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 20, 1928 26 HIHHIIH 7 A 0f/7 ya Jan. 1, 1929. 1,697,677

- J. B. DAVIDSON ROTARY TILLER FOR GANG FLOWS Filed Feb. 20, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I Patented 1, 1929.

UNITED STATES A 1,697,677 PATENT OFFICE.

JAY DAVIDSON, or ms, IOWA.

ROTARY FOB GKNG PLOWS.

Application filed February 20, 1928. Serial No. 255,701.

My invention relates to that class of rotary tillers in which there is a substantially upright shaft having a series of substantially horizontally arranged blades, and means for operating the shaft sothat these blades will strike u on a furrow slice at the rear ofthe mould oard and-pulverize the 'soil during the time that the furrow slice passes beyond the mould board, and before it reaches the ground; and my invention relates particularly to that class of rotary tillers applied to gang plows having two or more plow bottoms.

The objects of my invention are to provide a unitary self-contained gang tiller device which may be readily, uickly and easily applied to a gang plow y an unskilled operator, and there firmly and securely held in osltion' for supportin the various rotary ti ers in proper relations i to the adjacent low mould board; and a so to provide a evice of this character of simple, durable and inex ensive construction; and further to provi e improved and simplified means for oiling the various working parts of the device. J

My invention consists in the construction,

arrangement and combination of the various parts of the-device, whereby the objects conli'elrfiplated are attained, as hereinafter more 5 and illustrated in thefaccompanying drawin' in which:

igure 1 shows a per ective view of a gang plow and a tractor itched to it, and.

my im roved rotary tiller applied to the gang p ow as n use,

Figure 2 shows a top view illustrating the frame of a gang plow with two 'plow bottoms thereon, and my improved rotary tiller ap plied thereto,

Fi re 3 shows a rear elevation of a'modified orm of my improved rotary tiller device adapted for use in connection with a gang plow having three plow bottoms.

Figure 4 shows a top or plan view of same with the cover removed to illustrate the sprocket gearing;

Figure 5 shows a view similar to Figure 4 adapted for a gang plow having two plow bottoms.

Figure 6 shows an enlarged, detail, sectional view on' the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Fi re 7 shows an enlar ed, detail, sectiona view on the line of Figure 6; and

set forth, pointed outin my claims,

28 and the tiller shaft housin shaft housin perspective view of one dicate generally a tractor. The gan plow comprises a frame 11 with plows 12 t ereon and supporting wheels 13. The plow is of the ordinary construction now in common use, and any gang plow of the sulky type may be used in connection with my rotary tiller. My improved rotary tiller comprises a main frame member comprising a bottom member 14 having integral uprightsides and ends 15, and a detachable cover 16. This frame is made strong enough to withstand the strains to which the various rotary tillers supported by it are subjected.

At one end of the main frame there is a tiller shafthousing indicated generally vby the numeral 17. At the top of the housing there is an outwardly extended circular flange 18, and an upwardly extended circular rib 19 designed to be projected through an opening in the frame bottom member 14. At both the upper and lowerends of the housing 17 there is. a roller bearing device' 20, and mounted in these bearings 20 is a rotary tiller shaft 21, which projects a conof-the shaft 21 has a sprocket wheel 22 and I a nut 25 is a pliedto the to of the u r end of the tiller shaft. p Ppe Near the lower portion of the tiller shaft hous" there is formed an annular groove 26 deslgned, to receive a U-bolt 27. This U bolt extends through a bracket 28 and a block 29 is interposed between the bracket 17, which block has one edge shaped to t the tiller and its other edge shaped to fit the brac et 28, and nuts 30 are ap lied to the ends of the U-bolts whereby the ousing may be quickly and easily fixed to the bracket, andwhen so fixed the rotar tiller attachment will be firmly held to the racket and accurately positioned relative to the plow beam and plow.

At one side of the housing 17 there is an opening for the propeller shaft, and the rop'eller' shaft housing 31 is provided and has a flange 32 to engage the adjacent side 'of the tiller shaft housing 17 to which it is firmly fixed by bolts 33. Roller bearings 34 are mounted in both ends of the housing 31,

and they receive a propeller shaft member 35 ing 17 and is in mesh with a beveled pinion 38 on the rotar tiller shaft 21.

Mounted wit in the housin 17 is a sleeve 39 extended from a point ust above the roller bearing 20 to a oint adjacent to the rop'eller shaft 35. is sleeve surrounds, ut does not" contact with, the rotary tiller shaft 21, but is held stationary in its osition within the housing 17 for purposes ereinafter made clear.

At the o posite end of the main frame there is anot er tiller shaft housing 40,.which is like the housing 17 except that it does not have the propeller shaft or the beveled pinions, and there is no need for the sleeve 39. In other respects the assembly of the tiller shaft housing 40 and the tiller are the same ener sprocket 42 is applied to this chain 41 as that before described in regard to the housing 17 and its associated parts.

Referring to Fi re 5 of the drawings, it

will be seen that t e two sprocket Wheels22 on the respective tiller shafts'are connected by a sprocket chain 41, and a chain tight intermediate to the sprocket wheels 22.

From the foregoing it will be'seen that the device comprises a unitary, self-contained structure, which may be readil and easily fitted. to'a gang plow by uns illed workmen, it being only necessary'to place the U-bolts'27 through the brackets 23 and apply the nuts 30 to the bolts and then to connect a power shaft with the powertake-ofiof the tractor in any ordinary way.

It will also be seen that the attachment is of very simple construction, and yet the parts thereof "are firmly braced and su 'ported, giving it great rigidity and durabil- 1ty. The main frame 14 and 15, in addition to its function as a frame, serves another function of a s rocket wheel and chain housing and an oil receptacle, as will hereinafter appear, and the tiller shaft housings 17 and 40 rform the function of providing a hearing or the tiller shafts, but they also form frame structures for connecting the devices to a gang plow.

It is of great importance in devices of this kind that the working parts he thoroughly lubricated, and I have designed the entire structure with the idea of providing a sim 1e and effective lubrication means for all 0 the working parts. The main frame 14 and 15 is designed to-forman oil receptacle and the s rocket chain is so positioned in the receptac e that the lower portions at least of the s rocket chain links will run in oil, and by this means oil will be transmitted to all of the sprocket links and bearings. The oil is prevented from running down into the tiller shaft housin h the upright rib 19, so that a quantity of oi is contained at all times Within the main frame.

In order to maintain an oil su ply for constant lubrication of the prope ler shaft 35 and its bearings and gears, I have rovided the sleeve 39 which functions as fo owsz'A measured quantity of oil is laced in the main frame and after the 01 reaches the level of the rib 19, some of it will overflow through the bearings and into the s ace be tween the interior of the tiller shaft housing and the sleeve 39, thus forming an oil the bearings 34 until the oil level is below the level of these hearings; thereafter the bevel gear wheel will pick up oil and'transmit it to the shaft 35 and the oil will then work outalong this shaft and provide a constant lubrication for the bearings 34, and this will also rovide a constant lubrication for the'bevele pinion 38.

From the foregoing it-will be seen that all of the working parts. are constantly and adequately lubricated by oil from the sprocket casing of the main frame, and it is only necessary to place oil in the sprocket casing to provide a suflicient supply for the constant and adequate lubrication for all of the working parts. i

I claim as my invention:

1. A rotary tiller for gang plows, com rising a main frame member formed ho low,

a number of tiller shaft housing members fixed to and extended downwardly from'the main frame, means. for securing-saidtiller shaft housing members to a gang plow frame, a tiller shaft in each of said housings, a power shaft housing member fixed to one of the tiller shaft housin members, a power shaft in the power s aft housing member, means for gearing it to the adjacent tiller shaft, and means within the hollow main frame member for operatively connecting all of the tiller shafts.

2. A rota? tiller for gan plows, comprising a main rame member ormed hollow, a number of tiller shaft housing members fixed to and extended downwardly from the main frame, means for securing said tiller shaft housin members to a gang plow frame, a tiller 5 aft in each of said housings, a power shaft housing member fixed to. one of the tiller shaft housing members, a power shaft in the power shaft housing member, means for gearing it to the adjacent tiller shaft, and means within the hollow main frame member for o eratively connecting all (if the tiller sha s, said means comprising sprocket wheels fixed to the said tiller shafts,

- ber,

a sprocket chain assed around them, and a chain tightener evice engaging the chain. 3. In a device of theclass described, the combination of a main frame comprising a bottom and integral upwardl extended sides and end portions, a detac able cover, a number of downwardly extending housing members fixed to the main frame, and means for detachably connecting the housilig members one to each beam .of agang ow. P 4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a main frame comprising a bottom and integral upwardly extended sides and end portions, a detachable cover, a number of downwardly extending housing members fixed to the main frame, means for detachably connecting the housing members one to each beam of a gang plow, said means comprising a U-shaped' bolt passed around the housing, and a bracket designed to receive the bolt and to be fixed to a plow.

5. In a device of the classdescribed, the combination of a tiller shaft housing mema tiller shaft extended upwardly through it, bearings for the tiller shaft at the upper and lower ends of the housing members, a power shaft housing member fixed to one side of the tiller shaft housing member, a power shaft rotatively mounted therein, bearings'for the power shaft near both ends of the power shaft housing member, pinions fixed to the shafts and in mesh with each other, and an oil retaining sleeve mounted in the lower end portion of the tiller shaft housing and extended upwardly to a point adjacent to the tiller shaft and above the lower end of the pinion on the power shaft for transmitting oil from the oil receptacle in the bottom of the tiller shaft housing to the pinions and from them to the bearings of the power shaft.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a main frame-member comprising a bottom and upwardly extended side and end members and a cover,-a tiller shaft housing fixed to the said bottom, a tiller shaft mounted in the tiller shaft housing and projected upwardly into the main frame member, a gearing device mounted on the to of the tiller shaft and within the main rame member, a bearing for the upper end portion of the tiller shaft, and a rib extended around the opening through which the tiller shaft projects into the mam frame to thereby form an oil pocket in the main frame in which the said gearing device may operate and be lubricated, and whereby the surplus oil that passes over the said rib will pass through the said bearing.

Des Moines, Iowa, January 24, 1928.

JAY BROWNLEE DAVIDSON. 

